The thing isn't well known, but since its founding in 1935, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra (OSM) has diligently collected thousands of objects and documents that testify to its rich history.
Updated at 7:15am yesterday.
You can imagine that I gladly accepted the OSM's invitation to search the room where these photos, records, correspondence, contracts, telegrams, programs and other artifacts are stored.
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Popular concerts Desjardins
This privileged visit was made possible for me on the occasion of the start of the celebrations surrounding the 90th season of the OSM, which will officially begin next fall. To kick off these celebrations, a special event will take place on January 16th.
But first let's go back, somewhere in 1934, and find ourselves at a meeting accompanied by Athanase David, then Liberal MP for Terrebonne in Quebec (he is the grandfather of Françoise, Hélène, Pierre and Charles-Philippe), his wife Antonia Nantel, the music critic Henri Letondal as well as Ernest Tétraut, Victor Doré, Ubald Boyer and Jean Lallemand. Because it is to these influential and determined music lovers that we owe the existence of this orchestra, one of Quebec's great prides.
Some of these founding members then joined the Montreal Orchestra, a group largely composed of musicians who found themselves unemployed after the introduction of sound cinema. Feeling that this orchestra had hardly served French-speaking musicians and music lovers, the group decided to distance itself and form the Concerts symphoniques de Montréal (the name OSM came in 1954).
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Instructional booklet for a series of school matinees from 1936. The student discovered his tickets for the entire season.
To bring this enterprise into being, the organizing committee took major measures and committed itself to the repatriation of Wilfrid Pelletier, who had been working at the Metropolitan Opera in New York for several years. Excited by this challenge, the chef accepts the offer and returns to his hometown.
The first CSM concert was offered on January 14, 1935 in the auditorium of the Le Plateau school in La Fontaine Park. A total of $22,000 worth of work will be spent on renovating the hall to better accommodate the orchestra and its musicians. The subscription to the six concerts of the season then costs $5.
This fabulous story lies dormant today in the archives and score rooms of the Maison symphonique. There are tens of thousands of documents that give you a thrill just browsing through them. We need to see the care with which school morning programs were prepared in 1935 (an idea of Wilfrid Pelletier). Concert tickets are still available in certain brochures.
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Program for a concert at the Montreal Music Festival in 1939
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Program for the concert on January 14, 1935 for the first season of the OSM. Rosario Bourdon sat at the desk.
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
First logo of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Letter from Claude Robillard, parks director for the city of Montreal, agreeing that the OSM can store folding chairs for a summer concert in 1953
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Telegram from Maurice Duplessis in 1951, in which he informed Pierre Béique, the administrator of the OSM, that he could not attend an OSM concert due to an “overabundance of work”.
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Exchanges between Pierre Béique, administrator of the OSM, and Lucien Hétu, head of services of the City of Montreal, regarding two concerts planned at the Mont Royal Chalet in 1958
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What emotions did I have when I read a telegram from Maurice Duplessis in which he confirmed that he could not grace a certain concert in 1951 with his presence. Or the correspondence between Claude Robillard, director of parks in the city of Montreal, and the OSM team organizing an open-air concert in 1953.
I admit that I was intrigued by the advertisement for the Dollar Symphony Forum, where in 1962 one could attend a concert at the Montreal Forum for the modest sum of one dollar. And also from promoting the OSM tour in Russia that same year.
I met archivist Sophie Rodrigue, whose job it is to inventory and identify these countless documents.
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Sophie Rodrigue, archivist at OSM
There are about 800 boxes here. They were stored for a long time in the garages at Place des Arts. Luckily nothing was damaged.
Sophie Rodriguez
In these boxes, many of which have not yet been opened, we find the programs of all the concerts of the last 90 years. They are very useful for finding out which works were performed, what program they fit into and who conducted them. We discover in particular the details surrounding the passage of Leonard Bernstein in 1944 or that of Igor Stravinsky in 1946, who staged his own works, including The Firebird.
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Advertisement for Perfumes Molinard, published in a program of the Montreal Symphony Concerts in 1943
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Program of a concert from the Dollar Symphony series presented on October 23, 1962 at the Montreal Forum
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Program of the Montreal Symphony Concerts, forerunner of the OSM, in 1937
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Poster for the OSM's 1962 tour of Russia
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Score of “The Rite of Spring” by Igor Stravinsky. The famous composer conducted “The Firebird and Pulcinella” in 1946.
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“It's still extraordinary, I work every day surrounded by treasures,” adds Sophie Rodrigue. These documents tell not only the history of the OSM, but also that of Quebec. For example, we see the development of women in advertising. »
By the way, did you know that the famous pop concerts began in 1969? The first were dedicated to songs by Gilles Vigneault, Jean-Pierre Ferland and Robert Charlebois. The OSM archives contain symphonic arrangements of approximately 1,000 popular works.
Speaking of dozens, it's impressive to see how the shelves crumble under these thousands of sheets that are indecipherable to mere mortals. These are archive documents, but above all reference works. Music librarian Michel Léonard, guardian angel of these jewels, explains with obvious joy how the dashes are indicated (often by hand) and preserved for posterity.
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Michel Léonard, music librarian at the OSM
Contrary to popular belief, string players do not individually decide how to use bow movements. These are determined in advance by the concertmaster. These shots are “pulled” or “pushed”. Once coordinated, these gestures create effects, sounds and colors that become specific to an orchestra.
The history of OSM is rich and amazing. We haven't finished telling it yet. Thanks to those who have preserved this memory over the last nine decades, we have everything we need.
Special evening
OSM's 90th season celebration begins on January 16th. For this occasion, Rafael Payare conducts Malher's Symphony No. 7 in E minor. A selection of objects from the archive is exhibited in the foyers. In addition, 90 lucky viewers can discover a gift. The musical program will resume on January 17th and 20th.
The OSM in 10 dates
- 1934 – Founding of the Société des Concerts Symphoniques de Montréal
- 1935 – Mornings for Youth founded
- 1938 – Free concerts begin on the Esplanade du Chalet du Mont-Royal
- 1954 – The Montreal Symphony Concerts changes its name to the Montreal Symphony Orchestra
- 1962 – First international tour led by Zubin Mehta
- 1980 – First OSM recording conducted by Charles Dutoit
- 2011 – Opening of the Maison symphonique de Montréal
- 2014 – Inauguration of the Grand Orgue Pierre-Béique, the purchase of which was made possible thanks to Mrs. Jacqueline Desmarais
- 2016 – Founding of the “Music for Children” program, an initiative by Kent Nagano
- 2021 – Rafael Payare is appointed musical director